Electric steaming iron



April 29, 1941. H. v. EKSTEDT ELECTRIG STEAMING IRON Filed Aug. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Apri! 29, 1941. H. v. EKSTEDT ELECTRIC STEAMING IRQN Filed Aug. 9, 1939 z speet s shet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE &240.211

ELECTRIC STEAMING IRON Henry Vetemeyer Ekstedt, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Ernest F. Pohl, St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 9, 1939, Serial No. %9,293

7 Claims.

The invention relates to electric steaming irons.

An object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the construction of electric steaming irons and materially reduce the cost of manufacturing the same and assem-bling the parts thereof, and at the same time increase the strength, durability and length of life of such irons without impairing the eilicieicy thereof.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the amount of material used in the manufacture of electric steaming irons and the number of parts thereof and the amount of labor required in such manufacture and thereby materially lessen the manufacturing costs of such iron.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric steaming iron having a main body portion consisting of a single casting and adapted to form a water reservoir including an integral bottom, and in the construction of which body portion, gaskets, packing and the like, will be entirely eliminated between the main body portion and the bottom thereof so that there will be no liability of leakage of either steam or water thereat, thereby providing a simple, eflicient iron, practically foolproof in operation, and which will not burn out or be otherwise rendered inoperative should the iron be left Unattended with the current on and no water in the reservoir, whereby the necessity of rebuilding irons rendered inoperative by reason of such neglect and improper operation will be avoided.

Other objects of the invention are to efiectually shield the inlet end of the pipe which conducts steam from the water reservoir in the iron to the pressing surface thereof and to locate such steam pipe wholly within the main body of the iron in contradistinction to the extension of a portion of such steam pipe into a steam dome or chamber projecting exteriorly of the main body of the iron, as has heretofore been necessary; and to enable steam to be taken directly from the water reservoir and yet prevent water from entering the steam pipe even should the iron-be moved rapidly back and forth in a longitudinal direction or sidewise with a straight or curved motion, as may be necessary or desirable when ironing certain garments or fabrics.

A further object of the invention is to insure a uniform flow of properly conditioned steam, free of drops of water, directly to the garment or other fabric being ironed to avoid undue wetting of a garment or other article, and to enable such articles to be ironed as rapidly as desired without requiring any pre-dampening of the articles to condition the same for ironing.

Another object of the invention is to shield the inlet end of the steam pipe by means of an upper chamber formed by the walls of the main body of the iron and partitions cast integral with the main body, and to provide means tending to equalize the steam pressure in said chamber with the balance of the steam pressure in the shell or main body of the iron, whereby to prevent efiectually siphoning of water from the water reservoir through the steam pipe to the lower pressing surface of the iron.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chamber of the said character having the upper portion of the steam pipe extending into it and provided in front and in rear of the steam pipe with openings of sumcient size to prevent building up of pressure within the chamber and causing siphoning of water from the water reservoir to the lower pressing surface of the iron.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a shield located interior-ly of said chamber and extending over the opening in front of the steam pipe to prevent water from splashing upwardly through such opening and entering the inlet end of the steam pipe.

'Another object of the invention is to protect and shield the inlet end of the steam pipe by locating the same within a recess or pocket for'med in the top wall of the body of the iron preferably in a removable cover plate adapted to afi`ord access to the interior of the iron.

Another object of the invention is to equip the iron with a straight steam pipe which will not require bending and which will have its lower end threaded into an opening in the bottom wall of the reservoir and which steam pipe when once installed in the main body of the iron, may be permitted to freeze in the said opening in the bottom of the water reservoir so that there will be no liability of leakage of steam. or water from the reservoir and the necessity of packing the lower end of the steam pipe or employing expensive couplings for mounting the steam pipe within the reservoir, will be entirely eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electric steaming iron in which it will not be necessary to employ baflles for checking, breaking or retarding the flow of movement of the water within the water reservoir incident to slow and rapid movements of the iron in any direction, as may be required in the operation of ironing garments and other articles, thereby materially lessening the number of parts and the cost of construction and at the same time materially increasing the ease and cheapness of manufacture by simplifying the casting of the hollow body of the iron.

It is also an object of the invention to increase the emciency and lessen the cost of manufacture of electric steaming lrons by obviating the necessity of drilling or otherwise providing perforations in the shoe or sole plate and to locate beyond the water reservoir the fastening devices for securing' the sole plate to the bottom of the body portion of the iron so that the openlngs or sockets provided for such fastening devices will not extend to and communicate with the water reservoir and necessitate packing which in time results in leakage of steam or water or both.

Other objects are involved including improvements as to certain features characeristic of the inventions disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 265,807, filed April 3, 1939, and Serial No. 280340, filed June 21, 1939.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of an electric steaming iron constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line of the steam pipe 25 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the lower portion of the iron.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the front portion of the iron showing the arrangement of the parts for discharging steam at the lower pressing surface of the iron.

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan view of the hollow body of the iron.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of the shoe or sole plate.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the front screw for securing the shoe or sole plate to the hollow body.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the removable cover plate showing the lower face thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the electric steaming iron comprises in its construction a hollow body or casing having a conventional form of an iron body and consisting in the present instance of a single casting of aluminum or other suitable material and providing an interior water compartment or reservoir 2, which is designed to contain a quantity of water to be converted into steam, the pre.- ferred level of the water being indicated at 3 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The top and bottom walls 4 and 5 of the side and rear walls 8 and 'I of the hollow body are formed integral inating the packing and fastening means which are necessary when the bottom of the body is constructed separate from the walls thereof and is detachably Secured to the latter. Also by forming the body as a single casting, the iron is rendered practically foolprooi' in operation and will not burn out or become inoperative should it be left with the current on and unattended with one another, thereby elimwill practically eliminate the necessity of rebuilding electric steaming irons which, due to the aforesaid neglect, become leaky or otherwise inoperative.

The steamlng iron is provided at the bottom with a shoe or sole plate 8 consisting of a gray iron casting coated, plated or otherwise rendered rustproof, but any other suitable heat retaining material, such as cast steel, may be employed in the Construction of the shoe, which affords the lower or pressing surface 9 of the iron.

The shoe conforms to the configuration of thc hollow body which tits snugly against the upper face of the shoe at the marginal edges thereof and secured to the same by front and rear fastening devices ll and Il located beyond the wa ter compartment 2 so that the bottom wall of the water compartment or reservoir will not be pierced completely through by such fastening devices, thereby eliminating gaskets and other packing which will eventually result in leakage of steam. Both the lower face of the bottom wall I of the body I and the upper face of the shoe l are correspondingly recessed to provide an intervening chamber |2 for the reception of an electric heating element !3 which is adapted to convert the water within the reservoir into steam and to heat the shoe or sole plate 8. The electric heating element or unit !3 may be of any preferred construction and it conforms gen erally to the conflguration of the base 8.

Fixed terminal; II of the electric heating unit extend through the rear portion of the bottom of the hollow body beyond the water reservoir or compartment and are located in a recess li formed in the exterior of the rear end of the body I, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

'Ihe rear screw li also pierces the rear portion of the bottom of the hollow body beyond the water compartment or reservoir and its head is countersunk in the bottom of the nset portion or recess II of the rear end of the hollow body I. The lower end of the screw ll is threaded into a socket IT in the upper face of the ,rear end of the shoe or sole plate and terminates short of the lower face of the sole plate.

The front screw I I which passes through the front portion of the shoe or sole plate beyond the water raez-Voir extends from the lower face of the shoe through the iatter intoa socket !8 formed in a thickened portion or enlargement I! of the front end of the bottom wall of the water compartment or reservoir. The socket s extends upwardly from the lower face of the bottom wall of the hollow body and terminates short of the interier of the water compartment or reservoir so that it is unnecessary to provide any packing foithe front screw which secures the base or sole plate to the body I, and as the rear screw ll is located beyond the water compartment or reservoir no packing is required for the rear fastening means.

It will be clear that there will be no danger of leakage of steam or water at the fastening devices for securing the shoe to the body l, and as the bottom, rear, and side walls of the body are imperforate, the iron will be rendered fon!- proof in operation and there will be no liability of causing any leakage or otherwise injuring the iron should the same be left unattended with the current turned on and no water in the reser- Voir.

The front screw Io which has a rclatively large 23 40311 diameter and which extends through an opennular intervenim* space' or passage 23. 'The outer peripheral portion of the head of the screw flts the lower countersunk portion of the opening 23 and flrmly secures the front portion of the shoe or sole plate 3 to the body I.

The inner portion of the tapered head of the screw is provided with an annular series of perforations 24 communicating with. the annular space 23 which permits steam from a steam pipe 25 to pass through the front portion of the shoe and be discharged at the lower pressing surface of the same. The front screw HI thus constitutes a steam nozzle for discharging steam at the lower pressing surface of the iron.

The lower' flat face of the head 20 of the screw is inset and arranged slightly above the lower. pressing surface 3 of the' shoe so that it doesnot form a. part of the pressing surfaceof the iron.

The steam pipe 25 which is perfectly straight' and which doesnotrequire anybending; has a relatively small bore or opening and at its lower end is threaded into an opening 21 in the boss` or enlargement of' the front portion of the bot.-` g

tom wall of the hollow body. The lower threaded end ;of the steampipe is permitted to freeze in the opening 21 in the boss or enlargement s'o that no packing'is required for the lower end of front portion of the hollow body is' arranged at an inclination and extends upwardiy and rearwardly from the boss or enlargement l`3 to a point adiacent the top wall of the reservoir. The upper/ portion or the steam pipe is arranged within' a chamber 30 formed by a horizontal partition 3| and a vertical transverse partition 32,'

The partitions :I I and 32 are formed integral' with the hollow body and the horizontal partition extends' rearwardly from the front end' of a the hollow'body to a point approximately midway the. lengthof the same. i

The horizontal partition 3| tapers forwardly and conforms to the configuration of the iron which is provided at its front end with an' enlargement 33 located centrally of the front end of the hollow body at the upper portion thereof and spaced at its side'faces from the side walls of the hollow body.

The transverse partition tirely across the upper portion of the hollow body, also extends downwardly from the top wall G thereof and its lower ed e is spaced from the !ear-end oi' the horizontal partition to provide' an opening or space 34 which is of a size in excess of the cross sectional area of the compartment 30 at the widest portion thereof, that is, the. distance between the partitions is greater -than the distance between the' horizontal par-.

tition and the top wall of the hollow body.

Thehorizontal partition isprovided with an finclined opening 35 through which the' upperthe steam pipe and there will`be 'no danger of leakage of water or steam through the 'opening 21 around'the lower end of the steam 'pipe` The opening' 21 communicates with an upper counterbore 28 of the opening 2| in` the front end of the shoe and the annular counterbore. of

the upper end of the opening 2| provides aaspace r constituting an enlargement offthe'passage 23 to permit steam to pass entirely around the screw and be uniformly distributed in the an'- nuiar passage 23 so that all ofthe perforations 24 of the tapered head of thescrewwill be supplied with steam which will be discharged' through the said perforations. v

.By providing steam ports or p'assagesthrough the head of the screw,`.the perforations which are ordinarily required in the shoe or sole plate for delivering steam to the pressing .face of the T iron are elininated "and the 'expense .incident to' or grooves at the upper face of the shoe for sup plying steam to such perforations, is avoided.

struction than what is required when the steam is discharge'd through perforations in 'the shoe or sole plate at spaced points over an area of the pressing surface.

The chamberl2' which receives the heating element |3 terminates short of the front end of the shoe and a solid portion 29 is left at the front end of the shoe and presents a flat upper surface to the lower face of the front portion of the bottomwall of the hollow body I, and there is no danger 'of any leakage of water or steam from the interior of the water compartment or reservoir as the bottom wall 5 is imperforate except for the threaded opening' provided'for the lower threaded end of the steam pipe which will not, owing to its freezing within the opening 21, require any packing.

The steam pipe which is located at the 'portion of the steam pipe-passes and the said horizontal partition is also'provided in front of the upper-portion of the steam" pipe 25 with a'. vent-opening 20 i which is' of a 'size to permit a escape 'of pressure frorn' the compartment 30.

The vent opening] 33'and. the rear space-opeu-- I .ing 35 provide means which tend' to equalizethe I pressure within the compartment 30 with the bal` j 'ance of-.the pressure within the hollow 'body .so

that nosteam pressurewill build up within the 'compartment 30 and cause watertosiphonfron v the'watercompartment or reservoir 'andpass through the steam pipe to the discharge 'ports i p or perforations 24 at the pressing surface'- of the perforating the shoe and providing a chamber The water compartment or reservoir. below* the upper chamber 30 thereof is devoid of bafiles as* it is unnecessary to check or otherwise interfere with .the free movement of water within the was& i ter reservoir'. incident tomovementsof the -iron forward and backward in a longitudinal, direc-j v tion or sidewise with a straight orcircular move and upwardly from the fastening devices at its front portion and it is provided intermediate of' ment as may be necessary in ironing garments I or other articles.

This elimination of baiiies greatly simplifles and cheapens the construction of the electric stea'ming iron and generally reduces the number' of parts required for protectng the upper inlet end of the steam pipe to prevent water from being splashed by -the said movements of the iron into the upper inlet end of the steam pipe In order to prevent water from`splashing upward through the vent opening 36 the partition :I is provided with a shield consisting'of a plate 31 of sheet metal or other suitableamaterial secured by Parker Kalon screws 33 or other suitable i'astening devices to the upper face of the partition 3! at points in rear of the inclined steam pipe 25. The plate 31 extends forwardly its ends with an opening 33 through which the steam pipe passes. The plate extends laterally 32 which extends enbeyond both sides of the steam pipe and its'front portion is located above the vent opening 30 so that any water splashing upward will be prevented by the plate 11 from being thrown upwardly beyond the plate to the upper inlet end of the steam pipe.

Any water accumulating within the chamber 30 will drain therefrom through the vent opening 36 or the rear space or opening 34 and there is sufllcient space beyond the rear end of the horizontal partition to accommodate all the water within the water compartment or reservoir when the iron is set up on its rear end or heel so that there will be no liability of water entirely closing the rear space 34 and permitting pressure to build up within the chamber 30 when the iron is resting on its heel or rear end.

The upper end of the inclined steam pipe is received within an elo'ngated pocket or cavity 40 formed in the lower face of a cover plate 4| which covers and closes a longitudinal opening 42 in the top wall 4 of the hollow body l. The said upper end of the steam pipe is provided with opposite notches which are adapted to receive the blade of a screw driver or other tool for enabling the steam pipe to be screwed into the opening 21 in thebottom of the hollow body.

The cover plate is detachably secured to the top wall of the hollowbody by screws 43 or other suitable fastening devices and is provided at its lower face with a boss or enlargement 44 which conforms to the configuration of the opening 42 and ts snugly within the same so that the cover plate is rigidly held on the top wall of the hollow body when secured in position by the screws 43. The boss or enlargement of the lower face of the cover plate constitutes a portion of the top wall of the hollow body.

steam is conducted directly from the chamber to the upper portion of the water compartment or reservoir to the lower pressing surface of the iron by means of the inclined steam pipe 25. A

Should any excess of moisture' be carried by the steam into the steam pipe the steam will be properly conditioned before it is discharged through the steam ports formed by the perforations 24 in the head 20 of the front screw !0. The arrangement of the upper portion of the steam'pipe within ton of the upper end of the steam pipe in the the chamber 30 and the locaerably to approxlmately the level indicated at 3 in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The steam generated by the heating of the water is taken directly from the upper portion of the water reservoir and passes through the upper inlet of the steam pipe and downwardly through the steam pipe to the annular passage formed by the counterbore !I in the upper face of the front end of the shoe or sole plate 0. The annular space around the screw formed by said counterbore :I and the enlargement of the opening through which the screw Il passes permits the steam to be equally distributed around the screw and to pass out through all of the perforations 24 in the head 20 of the screw ll.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric steaming iron comprising a hollow body including an integral bottom having a screw-threaded socket in its under face at the forward end of the body, said body forming a water-tight reservoir, a shoe arranged at the bottom of the hollow body and having a pressing surface, the shoe having an opening therepocket or cavity 40 of the cover plate, together with .the plate 31 which shields 30, eil'ectually prevents any water from splashing into the inlet end of the steam pipe by the movements of the iron in use.

This particular construction enables steam to be taken directly from the water compartment or reservoir without danger of siphoning any water through the steam pipe, and at the same time enables the baiiles heretofore employed for checking or interfering with the free flow of the water in the water compartment or reservoir, to be eliminated.

The iron is provided with a handle 45 formed of "Bakelite" or other suitable material secured to the top wall of the body I by a front bolt 40 and a rear bolt 41 arranged in recesses 48 and 49 of the handle and engaging threaded sockets 50 and S'l in'the top wall 4 which is preferably thickened at said sockets 50 and SI.

The hollow body is provided with a filling orifice which is normally closed by a screw plug 58 or other suitable closure. The water chamber or reservoir is partially filled with water prefthe vent opening through at the forward end thereof, a screw including a head and a screw-threaded shank. the threaded screw shani: being inserted through said opening in the shoe from the pressing surface and screwed into the screw-threaded socket in the bottom of the body of the iron and having its head lying substantially ush with the pressing surface of the shoe to secure the forward end of the shoe to the body, the shani: of the screw being of smaller diameter than the diameter of said opening in the shoe and thereby forming a steam space around the shank of the screw. the head of the screw having ports therein leading from said steam space at the pressing surface of the iron.

2. An electric steaming iron comprising a hollow body having a screw-threaded socket in the under face of its bottom at the forward end of the body, said body constituting a water reservoir having a steam space in the upper portion thereof, a shoe arranged at the bottom of the hollow body and having a pressing surface, the shoe having a counterbore in its Inner face at the forward end thereof and also having an opening therethrough at the forward end thereof communicating with said counterbore and at its lower end flared outwardly, a screw including a tapering head and a screw-threaded shank the latter passing through said opening from the pressing surface 'and screwed into the screw-threaded socket in the bottom of the body to secure the forward end of the shoe to the body the screw having its head lying substantially flush with the pressing surface of the shoe. the shani: of the screw being of smaller diameter than the diameter of said opening and said counterbore in the shoe to thereby form a steam space around the shank of the screw, the head of the screw having ports therein leading from said steam space to the pressing surface of the iron. means for heating the water in the reservoir, and a du'ct leading from the first mentioned steam space of the res- 'ervoir to the steam space around the shank of body having a bore leading to said opening, a

screw including a tapering head and a screw threaded shank and having its shank portion screwed into the screw-threaded socket in the bottom of the body and having its head lying in and engaging the -fiared opening in the shoe flush with thepressing surface of the shoe and securing the forward end of the shoe and body together, the shank of the screw being of lesser diameter than the diameter of said opening in the shoe to provide a steam space around the shank of the screw communicating with said bore in the bottom of the body, the head of the screw having ports leading from the inner' side thereof to the outer side thereof for the passage of steam to the pressing surface of the' shoe, means for securing the rear ends of the body and shoe together, a duct leading from the steam space of the reservoir and fitted in the aforesaid bore leading to the opening in the shoe, and means for heating the water in the reservoir to, generate steam.

` 4. In aself contained electric steaming iron including a hollow body forming a water reservoir and having a steam space in the upper portion thereof above athe normal water level of the reservoir, said hollow body having an opening in its bottom, a shoe arranged, at the bottom of the hollow body and having a lower pressing surface provided with an opening'therethrough countersunk at the lower end and having a counterbore at the upper end communicating with said shoe opening and communicating with the said opening in the bottom of the hollow body, and a screw including a tapered head and a screw threaded shank, the shank passing through said opening in the shoe and through said counterbore and into a solid portion of said hollow body to secure the shoe to the latter, said screw head engaging the countersunk lower end of said shoe opening and provided with a plurality of steam ports leading from one side of the head to the other side of the head, the shank of the screw being of lesser diameter than the diameter of said shoe opening, forming a steam space around the shank of the screw leading from said counterbore to said ports in the head of the screw so as to permit passage of steam to and through said steam ports in the head of the screw to the pressing surface of the shoe, and means for heating water in the reservoir to generate steam therein.

5. An iron of the character described including a hollow body forming' a water reservoir and having a chamber in its upper portion and provided with means tending to equalize the steam pressure in the chamber with the balance of the steam pressure in the water reservoir, said hollow body having an opening in its bottom, a steam pipe extending from said chamber to and secured at its lower end in said opening in the bottom of said hollow body, a shoe arranged at the bottom of the hollow body and having a lower pressing surface provided with an opening therethrough' countersunk at the lower end and having a counterbore at the upper end connecting with said shoe'opening and communicating with the said opening in the hollow body, and a screw including a tapered head and a shank, the latt er passing through said opening in the shoe' and through said counterbore into a solid portion of' the hollow body to secure the shoe to the latter, the said screw head engaging the countersunk lower end of said shoe opening and providedwith a plurality of steam ports leading from one side of said headto the other side ofthe head, the shank of the screw being of lesser diameter than the diameter of said shoe opening, forming a steam space around the shank of the screw leading from said counterbore to said ports in the head of the screw so as to permi t steam to pass to and through said steam ports in the head of the'screw to the pressing surface of the shoe, and means for heating water in the reservoir to generate steam therein.

6. An electric steaming iron including a hollow body forming a water reservoir and provided with an elongated opening in the top thereof and also having spaced threaded sockets in the top of the body adjacent the ends of said opening, a fianged cover for saidopening having the flanges thereof I 'thereof beyond the ends of the opening, and

screw-threaded bolts arranged in said recesses and piercing end portions of the handle and fitted in the adjacent sockets in' the top of the body of the iron whereby to secure the handle to the iron and to reinforce the fastening means for said cover.

7, An electric steaming iron comprising a hollow body including an integral bottom having a screw-threaded socket in its under face at the forward end of the body, sai'd body forming a water reservoir, means for heating the water in the reservoir to generate steamtherein, a shoe arrariged at ,the bottom of the body and having a pressing surface, the shoe having' an opening therethrpugh at the forward end thereof and whic'h is fiared at its outer end, a. screw including a tapered head and a screw threaded shank, the screw being inserted through said opening in the shoe from the pressing surface and screwed into saidscrew-threaded socket in the bottom of the body to secure the forward end of the shoe to the body, the shank of the screw being of smallerdiameter than the diameter of said opening in the shoe forming a steam space around the shank of the screw and the tapering head of the screw be ing positioned in the flaring uter end of said opening and disposed 'flush .'ith the pressing surface of the iron and provided with a series of annuiarly disposed ports leading from said steam space for the discharge of steam at the' lower face of the shoe. and means for conducting steam to said steam space.

nENRY vam EKS'I'EDT. 

